Nephrology News and Research

RSS

Nephrology is a branch of internal medicine and pediatrics dealing with the study of the function and diseases of the kidney.

Diverse coalition urges California Governor to sign bill to provide health coverage for smoking cessation treatments

A large and unusually diverse of group of interests have come together to urge Governor Schwarzenegger to sign a key health related measure, Senate Bill 220 (Yee, D-San Francisco), which would provide health coverage of smoking cessation treatments and services.

18 Sep 2010

DaVita launches Kidney Awareness Run|Walks for chronic kidney disease

DaVita Inc., a leading provider of kidney care services for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), today announced its launch of the 5th annual DaVita Kidney Awareness Run|Walks, a 10 city series of 5K events raising funds and awareness of CKD across the nation.

17 Sep 2010

New genetic analysis technique isolates culprit gene in families with inherited single-gene kidney diseases

A University of Michigan-led research team has identified a gene responsible in some families for a devastating inherited kidney disorder, thanks to a new, faster method of genetic analysis not available even two years ago. The success offers hope that scientists can speed the painstaking search for the genes responsible for many rare diseases and test drugs to treat them.

17 Sep 2010

Phosphorus additives leads to health disparities in chronic kidney disease

Processed and fast foods enriched with phosphorus additives may play a role in health disparities in chronic kidney disease, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).

17 Sep 2010

Researchers suggest DASH-style diet reduces kidney stone formation

Certain key ingredients of a diet designed to prevent high blood pressure can ward off kidney stones, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). The results suggest how low-fat dairy products and/or plants may have potent kidney stone-fighting properties.

17 Sep 2010

Artificial pancreas for diabetics

In another few years diabetics may be treated using an artificial pancreas developed by Professor Joan Taylor professor of Pharmaceutics at De Montfort University (DMU), Leicester. This could mean freedom from daily insulin injections she said.

16 Sep 2010

Abbott issues statement in response to FDA's mixed vote for weight loss medication sibutramine

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today held an Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee to review the results of SCOUT and the weight loss medication sibutramine (sold as Meridia® in the United States).

16 Sep 2010

BCBC Consortium aims to develop cell-based therapy for insulin delivery

Oregon Health & Science University's Markus Grompe, M.D., will lead a multi-center team of scientists selected to participate in the prestigious Beta Cell Biology Consortium (BCBC). Funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the consortium's long-term goal is to develop a cell-based therapy for insulin delivery in type 1 diabetes patients.

16 Sep 2010

Relypsa announces positive results from Phase 2 clinical trial of RLY5016

Relypsa, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing non-absorbed polymeric drugs, today announced positive results from the company's PEARL-HF study, a Phase 2 clinical trial of the company's lead compound, RLY5016. These data were presented by Dr. Bertram Pitt, Professor of Medicine Emeritus, Division of Medicine at the University of Michigan School of Medicine, during the Late-Breaking Clinical Trials Session in an oral presentation titled "The PEARL-HF (Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel Group, Multiple-Dose To Evaluate the Effects of RLY5016 in Heart Failure Patients) Trial" at the 14th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Heart Failure Society of America held in San Diego, CA September 13-15, 2010.

16 Sep 2010

Renal research consortia receives two grants for translational research from DKF

The Dutch Kidney Foundation (DKF) awards two Consortium Grants of 1,5 million euro to renal research consortia to concentrate on translational research.

16 Sep 2010

FDA updates dosing recommendation for Valcyte medication

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is notifying health care professionals of updated dosing recommendations for Valcyte (valganciclovir) oral tablets and solution used by children and adolescents receiving a kidney or heart transplant.

16 Sep 2010

Scientists reveal techniques to extend organ transplant life

Experts from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Transplantation at King's College London, based at Guy's Hospital, have revealed exciting new scientific developments for people with an organ transplant, intended to help prevent rejection of the new organ and extend its life.

16 Sep 2010

Johns Hopkins offers sources who can answer queries on prostrate cancer

September 19-25 is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Week. If you are planning a story on prostate cancer, a disease that's diagnosed in more than 200,000 American men each year, please consider calling on experts from the Johns Hopkins Brady Urological Institute.

16 Sep 2010

UK HealthCare announces successful kidney transplant surgery in 16-year-old

UK HealthCare announces the revitalization of its pediatric kidney transplant program with the successful transplant surgery of 16-year-old Courtney Stroud, of Carlisle, Ky. Courtney's transplant was performed Aug. 31 at Kentucky Children's Hospital.

15 Sep 2010

Danny Davis to discuss diabetes, obesity rates in U.S. at UIC Midwest Conference

U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (D-Chicago) will give opening remarks when the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies convenes a regional meeting Sept. 21 at the University of Illinois at Chicago to discuss the rapidly rising rates of diabetes and obesity in the U.S.

15 Sep 2010

Aspirin can prevent stroke and heart attacks: Study

In a large scale Australian study, researchers have found that Aspirin can save lives and drastically reduce rates of stroke and heart attack.

15 Sep 2010

FDA approves Krystexxa drug to treat gout

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Krystexxa (pegloticase) to treat the painful condition known as gout in adults who do not respond to or who cannot tolerate conventional therapy.

15 Sep 2010

Gilead Sciences announces Quad regimen Phase II clinical trial results for HIV infection treatment

Gilead Sciences, Inc. today announced Phase II clinical trial results showing that its investigational fixed-dose, single-tablet "Quad" regimen of elvitegravir, cobicistat and Truvada (emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) for the treatment of HIV infection maintained a high rate of virologic suppression through 48 weeks, exhibiting antiretroviral activity comparable to that of Atripla(efavirenz 600 mg/emtricitabine 200 mg/ tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg).

14 Sep 2010

Cell-enriched primary renal cells improve survival and augment kidney function in CKD rodents

Tengion, Inc., a leader in regenerative medicine, announced today the publication of a key study in the American Journal of Physiology Renal Physiology by researchers at Tengion. In the study, rodents with chronic kidney disease (CKD) were treated with healthy kidney cells to catalyze the regeneration of functional kidney tissue and delay disease progression, as evidenced by extended survival, improved kidney filtration, and reduced severity of kidney tissue pathology.

14 Sep 2010

Study finds new therapeutic target for polycystic kidney disease

In work suggesting a new approach to treating polycystic kidney disease (PKD), a leading cause of kidney failure, researchers at Children's Hospital Boston were able to block the formation of fluid-filled cysts, the hallmark of the disease, in a mouse model. Their findings, using a compound that inhibits a receptor known as c-Met, will be published in the September 13th online edition of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

14 Sep 2010